Should I go with 48KHz or 44KHz to submit for Film

[CamilleJanus]

Hello,

I am new to Taxi and working in Logic. I have been a video and audio editor for a long time and am familiar with what is needed for video and CD's as far as setting at 48 KHz for video and 44 KHz for CD's. I also have always put my work at 16 Bit. I just started writing instrumentals on Logic Pro 10.8 and would like to know if anyone can advise me if I should do my mastering with 48 KHz or 44 KHz and 16 or 24 Bit since these songs will not be used on any music platforms such as Youtube, Apple, Spotify, etc. They are primarily being sent to the Music Licensing companies for listings for film and TV. I called Taxi and the representative I spoke to suggested I post the question here because he is not an engineer and did not know the answer.

Your input will be appreciated!!!

Thanks!

[cosmicdolphin]

It can vary depending on the publisher but the most common format is 24bit 48k

[Telefunkin]

You're most likely to be asked for 24-bit 48kHz files, so that's a good standard to work to. If you record at those settings but then need 44.1khz and/or 16-bit files its easy enough to render them from your DAW project, and you still have the higher quality recordings if needed later. If you were to do it the other way (eg working from 44.1kHz 16-bit recordings to render 48kHz 24-bit files) you will get usable results but they will still be of the lower quality, and that's not quite what is being asked for. Therefore, you might as well work at the best quality in the first place, but be aware that each recorded track will occupy more disk space.

[....and please don't open the flood gates by asking whether any of us can hear the difference ]

[Casey H]

[....and please don't open the flood gates by asking whether any of us can hear the difference ]

[JohnAtonic]

Advice from a professional SSL console recording studio engineer that I've worked with (uses 44k 24bit), says, what is more important is how accurate and stable the WORD Clock in your D/A interface system is, especially if you are synchronizing other equipment to a master WORD clock. If you recorded at 44K 24bit, and bumped it up to 48k 24bit for film and video, I'm sure that no one would be able to hear the difference if your production is of high standard to begin with (not Garage Band), other wise it wouldn't matter what sample rate you use, it would still sound like a cheap demo. There is so much more that goes into a good production, 44k vs 48k is the least to be concerned with. cheers.

[Telefunkin]

There is so much more that goes into a good production, 44k vs 48k is the least to be concerned with.

IMHO, not quite. Music libraries will only accept music that meets their production standards, and files that adhere to their specification. I've even seen specs that ask you NOT to convert 44.1khz files to 48kHz but to re-render projects instead. Basically, libraries don't care about my preferences or whether or not I or anyone else can hear the differences, they just want what they want, and as I like an easy life, I do as I'm asked. The simplest way for me to do that is by working at 24-bit 48kHz, and because I render my final versions at those settings for my submissions I often save a bit of re-rendering and re-uploading time too. YMMV.

[....but please don't open the flood gates by asking whether any of us can hear the difference ]

[cosmicdolphin]

Advice from a professional SSL console recording studio engineer that I've worked with (uses 44k 24bit), says, what is more important is how accurate and stable the WORD Clock in your D/A interface system is

As most of us are producing in the box, the files we deliver are not passing through our own DAC when we bounce them ( only when we listen to them ) so it's a non-issue

[Casey H]

It seems like a no brainer to start with the highest resolution ever asked for (48K 24b) and then bounce down lower resolutions as needed. Or convert outside DAW. I use outside studios and they record at 48K/24. So they send me the final wav files in that format. Then, as needed, I convert to 48K/16, 44.1K/16, etc.

You can always go downward. But if you convert the other direction, you can't make up for what's not there. And like Graham, no debates about whether or not you can hear the difference.

Casey

[BradleyHagen]

I record at 24/96 ...... why you ask?? It is because I just love to use the extra hard drive space and CPU on my computer, and it makes me feel cool! It also tricks me into thinking that 96 is more (twice as much sample rate) than 48!
Would you rather "Go to Eleven?" or just make "Ten Louder?"

[BradleyHagen]

Honestly?? I don't know why I do it at all (24/96) But just feels wasteful and downright "naughty"